Day: January 30, 2006

This is interesting. Chip at Finding Iraq posts’the following’two photos showing ABC News Anchor Bob Woodruff and his cameraman Doug Vogt about 30 minutes before the IED incident.

As you can see, Vogt’is wearing body armor and a helmet, which might protect him from sniper bullets but’seems relatively useless against an Improvised Explosive Device. Now, take a look at Woodruff. It’s hard to tell, but it appears that he has no protection whatsoever. No helmet on (is he’holding it?), and’it looks as if he isn’t wearing’body armor. It might be a bullet proof vest of some kind, but it certainly isn’t of the same caliber as the one Vogt is wearing.

Seems’a bit irresponsible of Woodruff, if you ask me. After reading the news stories, one would get the impression that both Woodruff and Vogt were outfitted to the hilt, much like the soldiers you see above. Obviously, that’s not the case.

It’s one thing to be reporting from a hotel balcony within the green zone. It’s quite another to be riding in an Iraqi jeep’wearin Levi Button Fly’s.

Would their injuries have been less severe had they been completely suited up or are IED’s so deadly that no amount of protection would have mattered? When reporters are embedded with infantry in’the war arena, what are the minimum requirements for protective gear?

UPDATE: ABCNEWS anchor suffered multiple broken ribs, shoulder and skull fracture. Bomb fragments pierced neck and back, though apparently not brain. Doctors have kept him unconscious; extent of head wounds was not clear. Woodruff underwent three hours of surgery on Monday to remove shrapnel…

It’s over.

WaPo – The Senate, overcoming a symbolic filibuster attempt by Massacusetts Democrats Sens. Robert F. Kerry and Edward M. Kennedy, voted to end debate on the nomination of Samuel A. Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Sixty votes were required to end discussion.

A vote by simple majority to confirm in the full Senate is expected about 11 a.m. tomorrow, with a swearing-in to follow shortly, possibly allowing Alito to attend the State of the Union Address as Justice Alito.

The filibuster today was a gesture, not a traditional talkathon, as the speakers were well aware that they would not have the votes to continue and spoke relatively briefly on the floor.

The final vote was 72–25.

What happens when you put a lunatic like Howard Dean in charge of millions of dollars of donations to the Democratic National Committee?

He spends, and spends, and spends, but buys nothing.

Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill are privately bristling over Howard Dean’s management of the Democratic National Committee and have made those sentiments clear after new fundraising numbers showed he has spent nearly all the committee’s cash and has little left to support their efforts to gain seats this cycle, ROLL CALL reports.

Congressional leaders were furious last week when they learned the DNC has just $5.5 million in the bank, compared to the Republican National Committee’s $34 million.

Senate and House Minority Leaders Harry Reid (Nev.) and Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), along with the Senate and House campaign committee chairmen Charles Schumer (N.Y.) and Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), have made their concerns — directly or indirectly — known to Dean, claims the paper.

Emanuel was particularly upset last week upon seeing the latest DNC numbers.

“A lot of people are scratching their heads as to what’s going on,” said one senior Democratic aide.

Another Democratic source familiar with the party fundraising apparatus said there is “obvious displeasure” among the leaders.

So, the DNC cupboards appear to be empty. Will there be an accounting for where the cash went? Will the MSM investigate DNC spending? Will Americans hear anything about this? No. Democrats up for reelection in 2006 will simply focus on raising their own cash, like they normally do, that is, if they have any hope in running sustainable campaigns.

If Republicans lose any seats this November, it will be entirely their own fault. A dysfunctional party is not a winning party, and it’s likely that the DNC’s woes will be GOP gains come November.

Al-Qaida’s number two man showed up on video today a bit more animated than in the past. Why? Because we got close, perhaps a bit too close for Ayman’s comfort.

Al-Qaida No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri said in a videotape aired Monday that President Bush was a “butcher” and a “failure” because of a deadly U.S. airstrike in Pakistan targeting the bin Laden deputy, and he threatened a new attack on the United States.

Al-Zawahri, shown in the video wearing white robes and a white turban, said a Jan. 13 airstrike in the eastern village of Damadola killed “innocents,” and he said the United States had ignored an offer from al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden for a truce.

“Butcher of Washington, you are not only defeated and a liar, but also a failure. You are a curse on your own nation and you have brought and will bring them only catastrophes and tragedies,” he said, referring to Bush. “Bush, do you know where I am? I am among the Muslim masses.”

The airstrike hit a building in Damadola, killing four al-Qaida leaders. Thirteen villagers also were killed in the strike, angering many Pakistanis.

“The American planes raided in compliance with Musharraf the traitor and his security apparatus, the slave of the Crusaders and the Jews,” he said, referring to Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

“In seeking to kill my humble self and four of my brothers, the whole world has discovered the extent of America’s lies and failures and the extent of its savagery in fighting Islam and Muslims.”

No, you’re wrong Ayman. What the world has discovered is that the U.S. is getting closer to finding you and your ‘brothers’. Your days are numbered sir. If they weren’t, would you be hiding in caves?